New archaeological discovers suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk
Road probably began in some form many countries earlier than once thought. The findings, coupled with a widening range of scientific and historical research, could add a fascinating new
page to the epic of the Silk Road.
The latest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy from about 1000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt. Other research may extend human activity along this route back even further, perhaps a million years to the migration of human ancestors into eastern Asia.
The official origin of East-West commerce along the road is usually placed in the late 2nd century BC when an agent of the Chinese Emperor Wu-di returned from a dangerous secret mission（使命）across the desert into the remote high country of Central Asia. The agent, Zhang Qian, travelled as far as Afghanistan and brought back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijien, perhaps Rome. Historians have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times. His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect contacts between the ancient world’s two superpowers, China and Rome. Chinese silk, first traded to central Asian tribes for war horses and to the Parthians of old Persia in exchange for acrobats and ostrich eggs, was soon finding its way through a network of merchants to the luxury markets of Rome.
But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk was apparently present in the West long before the Han emperor started organized trade over the Silk Road. The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and provide insights into the mystery of just how and when Europe and the Mediterranean lands first became aware of the glorious culture at the other end of Eurasia. The word “coupled” in the first paragraph could best be replaced by ______.
| A．produced | B．contributed | C．doubled | D．combined |
The silk thread found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy suggests that ______.
| A．Egyptians had probably travelled to China to buy silk |
| B．trade along the Silk Road began earlier than once thought |
| C．historical research often achieves fascinating results |
| D．new light can now be thrown on ancient trading practices |
Until recently most historians believed that trade along the Silk Road _______.
| A．originated in the 2nd century BC |
| B．extended human migration into eastern Asia |
| C．began a million years ago |
| D．primarily benefited the Egyptians |
Historians have always considered Zhang Qian’s mission important because they believe ______.
| A．be brought back knowledge of Rome to the emperor | B．be discovered the Silk Road |
| C．be helped establish East-West trade | D．be travelled as far as Afghanistan |
In one way of thinking, failure is a part of life. In another way, failure may be a way towards success. The “spider story” is often told. Robert Bruce, leader of the Scots in the 13th century, was hiding in a cave from the English. He watched a spider spinning a web（蜘蛛织网）. The spider tried to reach across a rough place in the rock. He tried six times without success. On the seventh time he made it and went on to spin his web. Bruce is said to have taken heart and to have gone on to defeat the English… Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, made hundreds of models that failed before he found the right way to make one.
So what? First, always think about your failure. What caused it? Were conditions right? Were you in top from yourself? What can you change so things will go right next time?
Second, is the goal（目标）you’re trying to reach the right one? Try to do some thinking about what your real goals may be. Think about his question, “If I do succeed in this, where will it get me?” This may help you prevent failure in things you shouldn’t be doing anyway.
The third thing to bear in mind about failure is that it’s a part of life. Learn to “live with yourself” even though you may have failed. Remember, “You can’t win them all.”This passage deals with two sides of failure. In paragraph 1, the author talks mainly about __.
| A．the value of failure |
| B．how people would fail |
| C．famous failures |
| D．the cause of failure |
The underlined phrase “made it” means ______ .
| A．succeeded |
| B．failed |
| C．gave |
| D．got |
The lesson the spider taught Robert Bruce seems ______ .
| A．productive |
| B．straight forward |
| C．sorrowful |
| D．deep |
The author tells you to do all things except ______ .
| A．The think about the cause of your failure |
| B．to check out whether your goals are right for you |
| C．to consider failure as a part or life |
| D．to bear in mind that you will never fail in your life |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Bruce and Edison were successful examples. |
| B．Failure may be regarded as a way toward success. |
| C．Edison learned a lot from the lesson the spider taught Robert Bruce. |
| D．One may often raise a question whether his goals are worth attempting. |
The greatest recent changes have been in the lives of women, during the twentieth century there was an unusual shortening of the time of a woman’s life spent in caring for children. A woman marrying at the end of the 19th century would probably have been in her middle twenties, and would be likely to have seven or eight children, of whom four or five lived till they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which custom, chance and health made it unusual for her to get paid work. Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman’s youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty five and is likely to take paid work until retirement at sixty. Even while she has the care of children, her work is lightened by household appliances （家用电器）and convenience foods.
This important change in women’s way of life has only recently begun to have its full effect on women’s economic position. Even a few years ago most girls left school at the first opportunity and most of them took a full time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though women tend to marry younger, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born. Very many more afterwards, return to full or part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with both husband and wife accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfaction of family life, and with both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money and running the home, according to the abilities and interest of each them.According to the passage, around the year1990 most women married.
| A．at about twenty five |
| B．in their early fifties |
| C．as soon as possible after they were fifteen |
| D．at any age from fifteen to forty five |
We are told that in an average family about1990.
| A．many children died before they were five |
| B．the youngest child would be fifteen |
| C．seven of eight children lived to be more than five |
| D．four of five children died when they were five. |
When she was over fifty, the late 19th century mother.
| A．would expect to work until she died |
| B．was usually expected to take up paid employment |
| C．would be healthy enough to take up paid employment. |
| D．was unlikely to find a job. |
Many girls, the passage says, are now likely to.
| A．marry so that they can get a job |
| B．Leave school as soon as they can |
| C．give up their jobs for good after they are married |
| D．continue working until they are going to have a baby |
According to the passage, it is now quite usual for women to.
| A．stay at hone after leaving school |
| B．marry men younger than themselves |
| C．start working again later in life |
| D．Marry while still at school |
Television has changed our lives in many ways. Many people now spend more time watching TV than doing anything else. Researchers in the USA has estimated(估计)that when most students leave school they have spent 11,000 hours in the classroom and 22,000 hours watching television. But what effect does this have?
Benefits(好处) of television:
1. Television helps us to learn more about the world and to know and see many mew things. Television can offer present information to us in a more effective way than books. It can also make things more memorable.
2. It entertains (使欢乐) us. It is an enjoyable way to relax. For millions of people around the world, television is a source of companionship and helps them to cope with everyday life.
3. It has increased the popularity of sports and arts.
4. It has made us aware of our global responsibilities. In 2000, for example, 1.5billion people in 147 countries watched a TV pop concert and helped to collect more than $100million for people in Africa.
Dangers:
1. Television can make us passive (消极的). We don't have to think and our brains become lazy.
2. It encourages us to buy things that we don’t need, and can make us unhappy with our own life.
3. It takes time away from activities such as reading, conversation, and games.
4. It gives a false picture of society. A study in 2003 showed that people who watch a lot of TV are more afraid of crime. They also think that there is a lot more crime than there really is .
5. Some critics(批评家) say that television make people violent. A ten-year study in the United States showed that children who watch violent television programmes are more likely to be violent themselves. What’s the proper description of the time American students spend on TV and study?
| A．They spend twice as much time on TV as in the classroom. |
| B．They spend twice as much time in the classroom as on TV. |
| C．They spend as much time on TV as in the classroom. |
| D．They spend less time on TV than in the classroom/ |
The underlined word “memorable” is closed in meaning to.
| A．easy to be remembered | B．remembered forever |
| C．interesting | D．knowledgeable |
Which of the following number is NOT true of the pop concert mentioned in the passage?
| A．People in more than 140 countries watched it on TV |
| B．It helped to collect more than $100 million |
| C．It was held in 2000. |
| D．1.5million people watched it on TV. |
According to the passage, the dangers of watching TV too much included all the following except that.
| A．television can make us active |
| B．television encourages us to buy things that we don’t need |
| C．television gives us a worse picture of society |
| D．television takes time away from a lot of activities |
The British are very polite and have good manners—they are never tired of saying “Thank you”，“I am sorry”， or “Excuse me.” They have good table manners. They enjoy their breakfasts and most of all the traditional tea around 4 or 5 o’clock.
The normal working week has five days. Factory workers usually start at 8 am and offices, shops and schools open at 9 am. Workers have 3 weeks’ holidays and professional workers(people with higher education ) have usually longer holidays (a month or more). Except these holidays they have public holidays: e.g. New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
An average Englishman like to live in his own house. Houses are made of red bricks, stone and wood. The house usually has from 4 to 6 rooms, two floors, small front and back gardens. On the ground floor there is a hall, a kitchen, a living room with a fireplace and on the first floor there are parents’ and children’s bedrooms and a bathroom. The prices of houses depend on the area—the most expensive are the houses in London and South England (about 200,000 pounds); smaller houses in other areas may cost about 50,000 pounds.
Social Welfare—The National Health Service gives largely free treatment for everyone living in Britain. People can choose their family doctors. In case of emergency you can call the ambulance by dialing 999 from everywhere. Health centres are run by local authorities. About 7 percent of hospitals, dentists and family doctors work as private.
There are about 130 daily and Sunday newspapers and a lot of weekly papers and magazines. The oldest newspaper is The Times. Other famous newspapers are Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Financial Times, etc.If you are a student in Britain, when do you begin to go to school?
| A．At 6 am . | B．At 9 am . | C．At 8:00 am . | D．At 9:30 am . |
Which of the following about the British is false according to the passage?
| A．They have good manners when at table. |
| B．They always have the traditional tea around 4 or 5 am. |
| C．They love families and pets. |
| D．They feel very tired when they say “Thank you”,“Sorry ” or “Excuse me.” |
Who has the longest holiday?
| A．A shop assistant. | B．A doctor. |
| C．A factory worker. | D．A nurse. |
If you find someone seriously ill in Britain, what is the best thing you should do?
| A．Phone his family doctor. | B．Take him to hospital. |
| C．Dial 999. | D．Find a doctor for him. |
Scientists are trying to make the deserts into good land again． They want to bring water to the deserts， so people can live and grow food． They are learning a lot about the deserts． But more and more of the earth is becoming desert all the time． Scientists may not be able to change the desert in time．
Why is more and more land becoming desert？ Scientists think that people make deserts． People are doing bad things to the earth．
Some places on the earth don't get much rain． But they still don't become deserts． This is because some green plants are growing there． Small green plants and grass are very important to dry places． Plants don't let the sun make the earth even drier． Plants do not let the wind blow the dirt away． When a bit of rain falls， the plants hold the water． Without plants， the land can become desert more easily． Deserts＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ ．
| A．never have any plants or animals in them | |
| B．can all be turned into good land before long | |
| C．are becoming smaller and smaller | D．get very little rain |
Small green plants are very important to dry places because＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ ．
| A．they don't let the sun make the earth even drier | |
| B．they don't let the wind blow the soil away | |
| C．they hold water | D．All of the above． |
Land is becoming desert little by little because ＿＿＿＿＿＿．
| A．plants can't grow there | B．there is not enough rain |
| C．people haven't done what scientists wish them to do | |
| D．scientists know little about the deserts |
Which is the main idea of the first paragraph？
| A．Scientists know how to change desert into good land． |
| B．Land is becoming desert faster than scientists can change it back into good land． |
| C．If scientists can bring water to desert， people can live and grow food there． |
| D．More and more places are becoming deserts all the time． |