The USA is a land of immigrants. Between 1815 and 1914, the world witnessed the greatest peaceful migration in its history: 35 million people, mostly Europeans, left their homelands to start new lives in America. Why did these people risk everything by leaving their homes and families?
First, what forced emigrants to make the decision to leave? One major cause for European farmers to leave was the rise in population which in turn led to land hunger. Another was politics. There was an increases taxation(税收)and the growth of armies, and many young men fled eastern Europe to avoid being forced to join the army. Physical hunger provided another pressing reason. Following the collapse(衰退)of the economy of southern Italy in the 1860s, hundreds of thousands decided to start a new life in America. Religion also encouraged millions to leave the Old World.
In short, people chose to leave their homes for social, economic and religious reasons. As a result, by 1890 among a total population of 63 million, there were more than nine million foreign-born Americans.
But what were the attractions? First of all, there was the promise of land which was scarce(缺乏的，罕见的)in Europe. Next, factories were calling for workers, and pay conditions were much better than back home. Men were needed to open up the West and build the long railroads, and new towns needed settlers to live in and to develop business. There was the space for religious people to practice their faith in peace.
This immigration meant that by around the 1850s Americans of non-English had started to be more than those of English. As we know, there were losers. To start with, there were those unwilling immigrants, the slaves who had been used as a source of cheap labor. Nor should we forget the equally unlucky American Indians. By 1860 there were 27 million free whites, four million slaves and a mere 488,000 free blacks.
Nowadays, the USA is still seen by millions as the Promised Land. As always, it remains an attractive place to those who think it will offer them a second chance. What is not the cause for people to leave their homeland?
| A．The search for religious freedom. | B．Economics. |
| C．Unwillingness to join the army. | D．The search for adventure. |
Why was life of the 19th Century European farmers difficult?
| A．There were too many of them. | B．There was no space. |
| C．The population had gone down. | D．There was no land. |
Which of the following was not an attraction of the USA？
| A．Employment. | B．Freedom of religion |
| C．A healthy life. | D．Business opportunities. |
What is the topic of this passage?
| A．The USA is still seen by millions as the Promised Land. |
| B．The USA is a land of immigrants. |
| C．Religion encouraged millions to leave the Old World. |
| D．About one-eighth of non-native born Americans live in the USA in 1890. |
When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings(缺点). Wee k by week her list grew: I was very thin, I wasn’t a good student, I talked too much, I was too proud, and so on. I tried to hear all this as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.
He listened to me quietly, then he asked. “Are the things she says true or not? Janet, didn’t you ever wonder what you’re really like ? Well, you now have that girl’s opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said and mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to the other things she said.”
I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half the things were true. Some of them I couldn’t change (like being very thin), but a good number I could—and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I go to fairly clear picture of myself.
I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it.“That’s just for you,” he said.“You know better than anyone else the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just close your ears in anger and feeling hurt. When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be of help to you. Our world is full of people who think they know your duty. Don’t shut your ears. Listen to them all, but hear the truth and do what you know is the right thing to do.”
Daddy’s advice has returned to me at many important moments. In my life, I’ve never had a better piece of advice.What did the father do after he had heard his daughter’s complaint?
| A．He told her not to pay any attention to what her“enemy” had said. |
| B．He criticized (批评) her and told her to overcome her shortcomings. |
| C．He told her to write down all that her“enemy” had said about her and pay attention only to the things that were true. |
| D．He refused to take the list and have a look at it. |
What does “Week by week her list grew”mean?
| A．Week by week she discovered more shortcomings of mine and pointed them out to me. |
| B．She had made a list of my shortcomings and she kept on adding new ones to it so that it was growing longer and longer. |
| C．I was having more and more shortcomings as time went on. |
| D．Week by week, my shortcomings grew more serious. |
Why did her father listen to her quietly?
| A．Because he believed that what her daughter’s “enemy” said was mostly true. |
| B．Because he had been so angry with his daughter’s shortcomings that he wanted to show this by keeping silent for a while. |
| C．Because he knew that his daughter would not listen to him at that moment. |
| D．Because he wasn’t quite sure which girl was telling the truth. |
Which do you think would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Not an Enemy, but the Best Friend |
| B．The Best Advice I’ve Ever Had |
| C．My Father |
| D．My Childhood |
List of winners of 71st Golden Globe Awards
FLIM
Best Drama: "12 Years a Slave"
Best Comedy : "American Hustle"
Best Actor, Drama: Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Best Actress, Drama: Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
Best Actor, Comedy : Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Best Actress, Comedy : Amy Adams, "American Hustle"
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron, "Gravity"
Best Foreign Language Film: "The Great Beauty," Italy
Best Original Song: "Ordinary Love," "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom"
TELEVISION
Best Drama Series: "Breaking Bad," AMC
Best Comedy Series: "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," FOX
Best Actor, Drama: Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Best Actress, Drama: Robin Wright, "House of Cards"
Best Actor, Comedy: Andy Samberg, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"
Best Actress, Comedy: Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"
Best TV Film : "Behind the Candelabra," HBO
Best Actor,Television Movie: Michael Douglas, "Behind the Candelabra"
Best Actress, Television Movie: Elisabeth Moss, "Top of the Lake"
Best Supporting Actor, Television Movie: Jon Voight, "Ray Donovan"
Best Supporting Actress, Television Movie: Jacqueline Bisset, "Dancing on the Edge"Who wins the best film comedy actor title at the 71st Golden Globe Awards?
| A．Matthew McConaughey | B．Leonardo DiCaprio |
| C．Amy Adams | D．Jared Leto |
If you want to see your favorite star Elisabeth Moss, you should watch_____________.
| A．Blue Jasmine | B．Breaking Bad |
| C．House of Cards | D．Top of the Lake |
Which of the following is the best TV film at the 71st Golden Globe Awards?
A The Great Beauty B.Mandela：Long Walk to Freedom
C. Behind the Candelabra D.Dancing on the Edge
Dick was a twenty-year-old man. His father was a teacher and taught chemistry in a middle school and his mother worked in a shop. They lived a happy life until his parents died one night when suddenly an earthquake broke out. All that happened on his sixth birthday. Luckily his sister who was two years senior to him took him to see their aunt in the city and they did not stay at home. Everything was destroyed in the earthquake and the two children got into trouble. Thanks to their aunt who was not rich enough, they grew up but they lived a hard life. His sister was so sad that she became a nun(修女). After he finished middle school, he was introduced to an owner of a hotel and began to work there.
One day the young man fell to the ground while he was cleaning a window on the second floor. He was sent to the hospital and the doctor looked him over. One of his legs was broken and he had to be in hospital. He said to the nurse, “I’m a poor man, madam. Arrange a third-class ward(病房) for me, please.”
“Can’t anybody help you?”
“No, madam,” answered Dick. “I have only a sister. She’s a nun and she’s poor, too.”
“I don’t think so,” the nurse said angrily. “Nuns usually marry God. And God is the richest in the world, you know!”
“Well, then, ” Dick said with a smile. “Please arrange a first-class ward for me and post the bill to my brother-in-law.”How old was Dick’s sister when the earthquake happened?
| A．6 | B．8 | C．10 | D．12 |
The sister and brother lived a hard life because ____________.
| A．they lost all as a result of the earthquake |
| B．they were too young |
| C．they were hurt in the earthquake |
| D．they had to look after themselves |
Which of the following is true?
| A．The nurse would arrange a third-class ward for Dick. |
| B．The nurse would arrange a first-class ward for Dick. |
| C．The nurse would post Dick’s bill to God. |
| D．Dick had a rich brother-in-law. |
From the story, we know that the boy is very .
| A．silly | B．kind | C．humorous | D．Lucky |
In the USA, many high schools and some colleges and universities have a special celebration(庆典) once a year called Homecoming. Former students and teachers come back to the school to enjoy the memories of their time there and the many Homecoming activities. Homecoming might last for only one day or for several days, even one week.
High schools usually choose one boy and one girl from the senior class to be the “Homecoming King” and “Homecoming Queen”. The students usually choose a boy and a girl who have done a lot for the school.
Most schools have a Homecoming parade(游行). The school band will often lead the way, followed by many different cars and trucks. Most schools also have a football game for Homecoming—and, of course, tailgate parties. A tailgate party is a group of people drinking and eating around the back, or tailgate, of someone’s pick-up truck.
There are many other activities that might be a part of the Homecoming celebration. There might be a school-wide picnic one day; another day, there may be plays, concerts, competitions or games, all depending on a school’s traditions.
Homecoming celebrations nearly always end with a dance and/or a great dinner. The school is decorated beautifully, and a band is paid to come and play. Students dress up: guys in suits and girls in beautiful dresses.Homecoming in the USA _____.
| A．is held only in high schools |
| B．is held to celebrate the birth of schools |
| C．might be prepared for students only |
| D．might last from one day to one week |
“King and Queen of Homecoming” are chosen according to _____.
| A．their contributions (贡献) to the school |
| B．their healthy bodies |
| C．their excellent grades in study |
| D．their good-looking faces |
All the activities might be found at the Homecoming except _____.
| A．a parade | B．a football game |
| C．a picnic | D．an exam |
Homecoming celebrations usually end with _____.
| A．a play or concert | B．a dance or a dinner |
| C．a picnic or a dance | D．a competition or a game |
We spent a day in the country and picked a lot of flowers. Our car was full of flowers inside! On the way home we had to stop at traffic lights, and there my wife saw the bookshelf.（书柜）
It stood outside a furniture（家具）shop. “Buy it,” she said at once. “We’ll carry it home on the roof-rack（车顶架）. I’ve always wanted one like that.”
What could I do? Ten minutes later I was twenty dollars poorer, and the bookshelf was tied on to the roof rack. It was tall and narrow, quite heavy too.
As it was getting darker, I drove slowly. Other drivers seemed more polite than usual that evening. The police even stopped traffic to let us through. Carrying furniture was a good idea.
After a time my wife said, “There’s a long line of cars behind. Why don’t they overtake（超车）?”
Just at that time a police car did overtake. The two officers inside looked at us seriously when they went past. But then, with a kind smile they asked us to follow their car through the busy traffic. The police car stopped at our village church. One of the officers came to me.
“Right, sir,” he said. “Do you need any more help now?”
I didn’t quite understand. “Thanks, officer,” I said. “You’ve been very kind. I live just down the road.”
He was looking at our things: first at the flowers, then at the bookshelf. “Well, well,” he said and laughed. “It’s a bookshelf you’ve got there! We thought it was——er, something else.”
My wife began to laugh. Suddenly I understood why the police drove here. I smiled at the officer. “Yes, it’s a bookshelf, but thanks again.” I drove home as fast as I could.From the story we know that .
| A．the writer was poor and didn’t buy the bookshelf for his wife |
| B．the writer’s wife didn’t like the bookshelf at all |
| C．the writer was not very glad to buy the bookshelf for his wife |
| D．the writer was always glad to buy something for his wife |
What made the writer think that carrying furniture was “a good idea”?
| A．Other drivers would let him go first. |
| B．He could drive slowly and it was safe. |
| C．His wife could use a new bookshelf. |
| D．He could save a lot of money and time. |
Why were the police and other drivers so kind to the writer?
| A．Because they thought the writer liked studying very much and needed a bookshelf. |
| B．Because they didn’t think it was polite to overtake a car with a bookshelf on it. |
| C．Because they thought it was dangerous to carry a bookshelf on a car. |
| D．Because they thought somebody in the writer’s family had died and he needed help. |
Why did the writer’s wife begin to laugh?
| A．Because the police had helped them a lot. |
| B．Because at last the police had driven to the church. |
| C．Because the officer was always looking at the flowers and the bookshelf. |
| D．Because now she knew what mistake the police had made. |
When did the officers begin to realize they had made a mistake?
| A．After they arrived at the church. |
| B．Before they overtook the writer’s car. |
| C．Before they arrived at the church. |
| D．After the writer’s family left the church. |
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