Disease, poverty, hate, love－Charles Dickens’ stories opened his readers eyes to the most important themes of his age. Two hundred years on, his stories still speak volumes across the world, proving that Dickens’ legacy（遗产）was far greater than just “great-literature”.
February 7 marks the 200th anniversary of the writer’s birthday. To mark this date, BBC writer Alex Hudson listed six things Dickens gave the modern world. Let’s take a look at two of them.
A White Christmas
Dickens is described as “the man who invented Christmas” － not the religious festival, but the cultural aspects that we associate with the festive season today.
In the early 19th century, Christmas was barely worth mentioning, according to critic and writer Leigh Hunt. The committee which ran the Conservative Party even held ordinary business meetings on Christmas Day－unthinkable in the West nowadays, when everyone but the most necessary workers takes at least three days off.
Many people believe that Dickens’ popular descriptions of the festive period became a blueprint for generations to come. In his classic novel, A Christmas Carol, he not only put forward the idea of snow at Christmas, but also painted a picture of glowing warmth－“home enjoyments, affections and hopes”.
In his biography of Dickens, Peter Ackroyd wrote: “Dickens can be said to have almost single-handedly created the modern idea of Christmas.”
“Dickens” poverty(贫穷)
Dickens was one of the first to take an honest look at the underclass and the poor of Victorian London.He helped popularize the term “red tape” to describe situations where people in power use needless amounts of bureaucracy(官僚作风) in a way that particularly hurts the weaker and poorer members of society.
“Dickensian” has now become a powerful word for describing an unacceptable level of poverty. In 2009, when the president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in the UK wanted to talk about poverty in some areas of Britain, she did not use words like “terrible” or “horrific”, but rather described it as “life mirroring the times of Dickens”.The article is mainly about____________
| A．a brief introduction to Charles Dickens |
| B．Charles Dickens’ influence on the world |
| C．the characters in Charles Dickens’ stories |
| D．Charles Dickens’ achievements in literature |
Why is Dickens called “the man who invented Christmas”?
| A．Because he created both religious and culture festival. |
| B．Because all his novels have something to do with Christmas. |
| C．Because one of his novels helped to shape Christmas celebrations. |
| D．Because he was the first man to have proposed celebrating Christmas. |
We can learn from the passage that______.
| A．Dickensian is widely used to describe the Christmas |
| B．Charles Dickens’ novels reflect the true life at his age |
| C．Every person can take three days off for Christmas |
| D．The theme of Charles Dickens’ stories is about poverty |
The fourth of July marks the anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence from Britain. During the summer of 1776, American colonists were deeply divided. Almost one in three was loyal to Britain. Yet most were increasingly angry about what they considered unfair treatment by the British government. By June, fighting had already taken place between colonial forces and Britain. The idea of independence was spreading.
Delegates (代表) from the thirteen colonies gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Continental Congress decided that a document declaring separation from Britain should be declared. Thomas Jefferson led a committee chosen to write it.
On July 4th, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence. It says that people have the right to change their government if it denies them their rights. It states that everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit (追求) of happiness.
Today, the Fourth of July holiday is a time for friends and families to gather. They might play sports and eat hot dogs, hamburgers and other foods cooked outdoors. They might watch a parade in their community. At night, many people gather to watch fireworks bursting in the dark sky.
In Washington, D. C. this year (2011), thousands of people attended a concert with performances by musicians. There was also a huge fireworks show with more than two thousand five hundred shells exploding over the National Mall.
Another event that traditionally took place on the National Mall was the Smithsonian Folk life Festival. This year’s event celebrated the cultures of Mexico and Asian Pacific Americans. Visitors heard the music, eat the food and learn about the many traditions of these cultures.
The third subject of the festival was called “Smithsonian Inside Out”. Smithsonian experts had a chance to present their research and knowledge to the public.Why was the idea of independence spreading before July 4, 1776? (No more than 10 words)
What right does everyone have according to the Declaration of Independence? (No more than 13 rds)
What does the Fourth of July holiday mean to Americans today? (No more than 10 words)
What happened at “Smithsonian Inside Out” this year (in 2011)? (No more than 12 words)
Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in the numbered blanks by using the information from the passage. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Garlic (大蒜) is one of the most common spices of the kitchen, and the good news is that growing garlic indoors is simple. Garlic can be easily grown at home from individual cloves (瓣), which is the most commonly used form of cultivating garlic than growing garlic from seeds. Here are some useful tips on growing garlic indoors.
Autumn is the best time to plant garlic. Garlic requires enough time to develop strong roots. In warmer climate, it can be delayed to late winter or early spring.
Ensure the container used to grow garlic is large enough for the roots to have enough space to grow. The larger the size of the container, the healthier and bigger the garlic bulbs (鳞茎) will be. The container should also have holes at the bottom so that the water can drain (流走) out easily.
Sow each clove vertically into the soil at a depth of one inch. Ensure that the bluntend (平端) is facing downward. In case of container gardening, the number of cloves to be sowed in each container depends on the size of the container. In case you are planning to sow more than one clove in each container, make sure that each clove is at least 5 inches apart from others.
For the best growth of the garlic plant, choose a sunny spot where there is enough air circulation (流通). This will aid evaporation (蒸发) of too much amount of water and prevent the soil from becoming too damp in case too much watering does occur. Window sill (窗台) is a good place to put your container of garlic plant.
Once the clove has been sowed, cover the soil with a layer of mulch (覆盖物) to protect the roots from extreme cold. Provide fertilizer at the correct time in right amounts, and proper watering. Once the garlic tips start appearing in the spring season, pull back the layer of mulch. Feed the plants once or twice every month with fertilizer.
| Items |
(1) on growing garlic indoors. |
| Time |
● It’s best to plant garlic in (2) ● In warmer climate, it’s also suitable to plant garlic in late winter or early spring. |
| Container |
● Be large enough to (3) with enough space to grow. ● Have holes at the bottom to (4) the water to drain out easily. |
| Sowing |
● Sow each clove vertically into the soil one inch (5) . ● Ensure that the blunt end is facing (6) . ● Ensure that each clove is at least 5 inches apart from others in a container. |
| Place |
●Choose a sunny spot like window sill having enough(7) to aid evaporation of too much amount of water. |
| Care |
●Cover the soil with a layer of mulch to(8) from extreme cold after sowing the clove. ● Provide right amounts of fertilizer at the correct time. ● Water the clove (9) . ● (10) the layer of mulch once the garlic tips start appearing. ● Use fertilizer to feed the plants once or twice a month. |
In China, many people are leaving the countryside to find jobs in the cities, because the countryside is much poorer than the city, and often there isn't much work there. Services such as hospital and transport are usually much better in the city than in the countryside. They hope that their lives will improve when they move to the city.
But in the big cities of Europe like London or Paris, people are moving out of the city. These rich families want to live a quieter life. They are tired of the noise and the dirt of the city, and they are tired of the crowded streets, crowded trains and buses. They don't want to live in the cities any more. They want a house with a garden in the countryside, and breathe the fresh air there.
So they move out of the cities. Some don't go very far, just a little way out of the city, to the towns near the cities, other people move to the real countryside with sheep, cows and green fields. There, they start new lives and try to make new friends.
Not all those who move from the city to the countryside are happy. After two or three years, many people who have done this feel that it was a big mistake. They don't make so much money and there isn't much work to do. People in the countryside are very different and aren't always very friendly.
As a result, quite a lot of people who have moved to the countryside move back to the city. “It’s wonderful to see crowds in the streets and cinema lights,” they say.Which is NOT the reason for people moving to the cities in China?
| A．The countryside is much poorer than me city. |
| B．People in the countryside have nothing to eat. |
| C．People in the countryside don't have much work to do there. |
| D．Services in cities are usually much better than those in the countryside. |
Why do some rich families in Europe move to the countryside?
| A．Because they will find good jobs. |
| B．Because they are tired of living in the city. |
| C．Because they can make more money there. |
| D．Because they like feeding sheep and cows in the green fields. |
After moving to the countryside, some people in Europe feel unhappy because .
| A．they can’t make much money |
| B．there isn’t much work for them to do in the countryside |
| C．some people in the countryside aren’t always very friendly to them |
| D．A, B and C |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph shows .
| A．they are happy to move back to the city |
| B．they will miss their friends in the countryside |
| C．they still want to move to the countryside |
| D．they are tired of the noise and the crowded streets in the city |
The best title of this passage may be “ ”.
| A．A happy life! | B．Living in the city! |
| C．Moving out or moving back? | D．Living in the countryside! |
Nick is a 14-year-old school boy. His life is full of exams and studies on weekdays. He has little free time. He thinks playing computer games is the best way to make him relax. When he has free time, he sits in front of the computer. Just like that way, he neither eats nor drinks for several hours.
Last weekend, he played games on the computer again. He was too excited and didn't want to move. He didn't have anything for six hours. When he had to go to the bathroom, he found he could not move. He was taken to the hospital. The doctor told him he should do some more different kinds of activities. In other words, he needs more exercise and outdoor activities to make him have a healthy body.
After coming back from the hospital, Nick follows the doctor's advice. He often plays soccer with his friends. Sometimes he still plays computer games on weekends, but he never does it for long. Now, he lives a happy and healthy life.How old is Nick?
| A．13. | B．14. | C．15. | D．16. |
Nick likes in his free time.
| A．riding a bike | B．playing the guitar |
| C．playing computer games | D．having a school trip |
Why was Nick taken to the hospital?
| A．Because he was too excited. |
| B．Because he had a cold in the morning. |
| C．Because he was too nervous of his studies. |
| D．Because he couldn’t move after playing computer games so long. |
Nick should to follow the doctor’s advice.
| A．go to a movie | B．listen to music |
| C．take more exercise | D．play computer games |
Which of the following is True?
| A．Nick is very busy with exams and studies on weekdays. |
| B．Nick will never play computer games. |
| C．Nick likes eating and drinking when he plays computer games. |
| D．Nick has an unhappy and unhealthy life now. |
Expo 2010 Shanghai China
Duration: May 1 to Oct 31, 2010
Welcome to the World Expo 2010 Shanghai China. In order to ensure a safe and orderly visit, the organizer of Expo 2010 has formulated (制订) these rules.
Operation Time
The operation time of the Expo Site shall be 9:00~24:00. The opening hours of the pavilions shall be 9:30 ~ 22:30. Visitors shall enter the Expo Site before 21:00 and leave before 24:00 on the day of admission. Those with evening admission tickets may enter the Expo Site between 17:00 and 21:00.
Orderly Entry
Visitors shall go through ticket check and security check before entering the Expo Site. Those who refuse to cooperate may be denied entry. Children eligible (有资格的) for free admission and other visitors with walking difficulties may only enter the Expo Site when accompanied by adults.
Codes of Conduct
Visitors are required to observe public order within the Expo Site, and shall queue up to enter the pavilions or event venues (场馆). In the Expo Site, visitors are prohibited from:
(1) damaging any buildings, facilities or exhibits.
(2) climbing over any buildings or fences
(3) conducting any exhibitions or promotional or fundraising activities without permission.
Special Management Measures
In case of bad weather, too many visitors and technical problems, the organizer may restrict the entry of visitors into the Expo Site, pavilions or event venues.
___________________
Visitors Service Centers are available in the Expo Site, providing visitors with such services as inquiries, rental, lost and found, first aid, mother-baby service, and assistance for lost persons. The centers also accept and process visitors’ complaints. Free rental of wheelchairs are available for the disabled.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The 2010 Shanghai World Expo is expected to last about half a year. |
| B．The disabled people will be forbidden to enter the Expo Site. |
| C．Visitors without tickets can enter the Expo Site if they accept security check. |
| D．Children and people with walking difficulties will be banned from entering the Expo Site. |
If you have evening admission tickets, you are allowed to enter the Expo Site at ______.
| A．4 p.m. | B．10 a.m. | C．6 p.m. | D．10 p.m. |
Before entering the Expo Sites, visitors are required to ______.
| A．have a physical examination | B．have a security check |
| C．buy some food | D．show their ID cards |
Which of the following can be filled in the blank in the last part?
| A．Visitor Service | B．Visitor Complains |
| C．Reservation | D．Exhibitions and Performances |
We can infer that the organizer is intended to help _______.
| A．parents with children under 5 | B．foreigners | C．women | D．the disabled |
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