(D)
As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have.It’s likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen will have a washing machine and a microwave oven.Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as you need. You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.
Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for.Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world.They feel that the long-hour work culture to make more money to buy more things is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes.Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting_is one of them.
Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year.One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz.They used to work in central London.He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank.They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs (郊区), leaving their two children with a nanny(保姆).Most evenings Daniel wouldn’t get home until eight or nine o’clock, and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings.They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.
Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales.“I always wanted to have a farm here,” says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift.It’s taken some getting used to, but it’s been worth it.We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays.However, I think it’s made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.”
Liz, however, is not quite sure.“I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours.I’m not really a country girl, but I suppose I’m gradually getting used to looking after the animals.One thing I do like, though, is being able to see more of my children.My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all.”
68.What do the first two paragraphs tell us?
A.People seldom work long hours to make money.
B.People hardly buy more things than necessary.
C.People are sure everything they own is in the right place.
D.People realize more is involved in life than just making money.
69.Daniel agrees that the move to the farm __________.
A.was easy to organize B.has improved family life
C.was extremely expensive D.has been a total success
70.The underlined word "downshifting" in the second paragraph means ________.
A.repairing your car by yourself
B.spending money carefully
C.moving out to the countryside to live a simpler and better life
D.living in a big house in the suburbs and dining out once a week
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
Where: Becket, Massachusetts
When: June 15-Aug. 24 Each summer, this influential dance center presents a number of classes and performances by more than 50 companies from around the world. Highlights (最精彩的部分) this season include the Dance Theater of Harlem's production of Alvin Ailey's “The Lark Ascending”, which opens the festival.
Many events are free. Ticketed performances start at $22. jacobspillow.org.
Moab Music Festival
Where: Moab, Utah
When: Aug. 29-Sept. 9
This area is better known for mountain biking than for music. But since 1992, it has hosted a private festival that brings classical, jazz, Latin and other types of music to the land. This year there will be 16 concerts, including three “Grotto Concerts”, where guests take a 45-minute boat ride down the Colorado River to performances.
Events start at $25. moabmusicfest.org.
Cheyenne Frontier Days
Where: Cheyenne, Wyoming
When: July 19-28
There's something for everyone at this 117-year-old festival, from an “Indian village” and Old West museum to country concerts. But the competition is still the main attraction, with cowboys (牛仔) and cowgirls competing for major money in the world's largest outdoor stage.
Competition tickets start at $18, and concert tickets at $23. cfdrodeo.com.
The Glimmerglass Festival
Where: Cooperstown, New York
When: July 6-Aug. 24
Each summer, opera lovers from around the country (and the world) travel to upstate New York to watch productions that include stars like Nathan Gunn and Ginger Costa-Jackson. This year's performances include Wagner's “The Flying Dutchman” and Verdi's “King for a Day”, in honor of the 200th birthdays of both composers (作曲家).
Tickets start at $26. glimmerglass.org.If you want to enjoy a “Grotto Concert”, which date suits you best?
A.June 15. | B.July 19. |
C.August 24. | D.September 4. |
If you go to Cheyenne to watch a competition and enjoy a concert, how much will you pay at least?
A.$18. | B.$22. |
C.$36. | D.$41. |
If you are a big fan of Wagner, you're advised to go to _____.
A.Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival |
B.the Glimmerglass Festival |
C.Cheyenne Frontier Days |
D.Moab Music Festival |
Which part of a website is the text probably chosen from?
A.Education. | B.Art. |
C.Business. | D.Literature. |
A farmer grew some vegetables in his garden. One day his wife was ill and he had no money. He had to sell some cabbages and carrots in the market. The next morning he took two baskets of vegetables to town. But it was raining hard that afternoon and there were few people in the street. When his vegetables were sold out, it was dark. He bought some medicine and hurried to his village.
On his way home he saw a person lying on the snow. He placed his baskets on the ground and was going to help the person to get up. At that time he found it was a dead man and there was much blood on his body. He was so afraid that he ran away quickly, without taking the baskets with him.
The next afternoon the farmer was sent to the police station. Having shown the baskets, an officer asked, “Are these yours?” “Yes, sir.” the farmer answered timidly(胆怯地). “Have you killed the man?” “No, no, sir.” the farmer said in a hurry. “When did you see the dead man?” “About seven last evening.” “Did you see who killed the man?” “No, sir.” The officer brought out a knife and asked, “Have you seen it yet?” “No, sir.” The officer became angry and told the policemen to beat him up and sent him into prison.
That evening the officer went on trying. Pointing to the knife, he asked again, “Have you seen it yet?” “Yes, sir.” The officer was happy and asked, “When and where?” “I saw it here this afternoon, sir.”The farmer decided to sell the vegetables to _______.
A.buy some food for his family |
B.buy some medicine for his wife |
C.go to see a doctor |
D.go to the cinema |
The farmer didn’t sell out his vegetables until the evening because _______.
A.they were too bad |
B.they were very expensive |
C.it rained hard that morning |
D.people wouldn’t go out on such a bad day |
As _______, the farmer decided to help the person to stand up.
A.he was ready to help others |
B.the person was one of his friends |
C.he thought the person would thank him |
D.he thought the person had drunk too much |
The farmer ran away quickly because _______.
A.the policemen were coming towards him |
B.his wife was waiting for him at home |
C.he was afraid to see a dead man |
D.it was so late that he couldn’t stay there any longer |
Samuel de Champlain was a French explorer, navigator (航海家), and mapmaker. He explored much of eastern Canada and became known as the “Father of New France”.
Born into a family of sailors, Champlain, while still a young man, began exploring North America. In 1603, he sailed up the Saguenay River and the St. Lawrence River. From 1604 to 1607 Champlain joined in the exploration and settlement of the first permanent (永久的) European settlement north of Florida. Then, in 1608, he established the French settlement that is now Quebec City. He also made the first accurate (精确的) map of the Canadian coast.
Champlain spent most of the rest of his life going between France and Canada. His goals were to map North America and find a quicker way to get to the Pacific Ocean.
In 1629 Quebec was controlled by the English and Champlain was taken to England as a prisoner. When Canada was returned to France in 1633 Champlain returned to Canada as governor of Quebec and remained in Quebec until his death on Christmas Day in 1635.
Champlain was the first European to explore and describe the Great Lakes, and published maps of his journeys and reports of what he learned from the natives and the French living among the natives. Champlain was memorialized as the “Father of New France”, and many places and streets in North America use his name. The most famous of these is Lake Champlain, which lies between northern New York and Vermont.Which is the correct order of the events about Champlain?
a. established the settlement in Canada
b. travelled up the St. Lawrence River
c. returned to Canada as governor of Quebec
d. was taken to England
A.b-a-c-d | B.b-a-d-c |
C.a-d-b-c | D.a-b-d-c |
We can learn from the text that Champlain _____.
A.was important to Canadian history |
B.was famous for the lake named for him |
C.was the first person to explore North America |
D.was the first family member to work on a ship |
The underlined word “memorialized” in the last paragraph probably means “_____”.
A.described | B.chosen |
C.remembered | D.trusted |
What's the best title for the text?
A.Exploration of North America |
B.Origin of Lake Champlain |
C.Foundation of Quebec |
D.Father of New France |
Have you ever heard of Paynes Prairie? It is one of the most important natural and historical areas in Florida. Paynes Prairie is located near Gainesville. It is large, 21,000 acres. This protected land is called a preserve. The Florida Park Service manages the preserve.
The Paynes Prairie basin was formed when limestone dissolved and the ground settled. It is covered by marsh(沼泽)and wet prairie vegetation. There are areas of open water. During brief periods it has flooded enough to be considered a lake. Except for that, the basin has changed little through time.
Man has lived on Paynes Prairie a very long time. He lived there as far back as 10,000 B. C. At one time, the Seminoles lived there. The prairie is thought to have been named after King Payne, a Seminole chief. During the late 1600s, the largest cattle ranch in Florida was on Paynes Prairie. Today, Paynes Prairie is preserved land. It is occupied by visitors and Florida Park Service employees.
Willam Bartram visited Paynes Praire. Bartram was the first person who portrayed (described) nature through personal experience as well as scientific observation. He lived 200 years ago. He visited Paynes Prairie in 1774. At that time he described it. He called Paynes Prairie the “great Alachua Savannah.”
Most of the animal life, which Bartram described, is still here. A large number of sandhill cranes, hawks and waterfowl are here in winter. The animal diversity is increased by the presence of pine flatwoods, hammock, swamps and ponds.
The Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is open year round. The Florida Park Service works hard so that the park will appear as it did in the past. It offers many opportunities for recreation. At the park you can camp and picnic. You can hike and bike. You can boat and fish. You can ride on horse trails. And you can see lots of nature and wildlife. You can see Florida as it was in the early days.
Paynes Prairie is a part of our Florida history. It is an example of our Florida natural resources. It is a place for recreation. Paynes Prairie is an important experience of the Real Florida.How was the Paynes Prairie basin formed?
A.By the Seminole Indians. |
B.By the Florida Park Service. |
C.From dissolved limestone and the ground settling. |
D.From lots of flooding and wet prairie vegetation. |
The underlined word “diversity” means “.”
A.variety | B.society | C.population | D.area |
All of the following are true EXCEPT that __.
A.Paynes Prairie has changed little through time |
B.Paynes Prairie is covered by wet prairie grasses |
C.there used to be a big cattle farm on Paynes Prairie |
D.William Bartram was the first person to visit Paynes Prairie |
The purpose of the passage is to .
A.call on people to protect widlife |
B.attract people to this preserved park |
C.show you the formation of Paynes Prairie |
D.introduce the recorded history of Paynes Prairie |
On June 17, 1774, the officials from Maryland and Virginia held a talk with the Indians of the Six Nations. The Indians were invited to send boys to William and Mary College. In a letter the next day they refused the offer as follows:
We know that you have a high opinion of the kind of learning taught in your colleges, and that the costs of living of our young men, while with you, would be very expensive to you. We are convinced that you mean to do us good by your proposal; and we thank you heartily. But you must know that different nations have different ways of looking at things, and you will therefore not be offended if our ideas of this kind of education happen not to be the same as yours. We have had some experience of it. Several of our young people were formerly brought up at the college of the northern provinces: they were taught all your sciences; but when they came back to us, they were bad manners, ignorant of every means of living in the woods – they were totally good for nothing.
We are, however, not the less obliged by your kind offer, though we refuse to accept it; and, to show our grateful sense of it, if the gentlemen of Virginia will send us a dozen of their sons, we will take care of their education, teach them all we know, and make men of them.The passage is about ____.
A.the talk between the Indians and the officials |
B.the colleges of the northern provinces |
C.the educational values of the Indians |
D.the problems of the Americans in the mid-eighteen century |
The Indian chief’s purpose of writing the letter seems to be to ____.
A.express their opinions on equal treatment |
B.politely refuse a friendly offer |
C.show their pride |
D.describe Indian customs |
According to the letter, the Indians believed that ____.
A.it would be better for their boys to receive some schooling |
B.they were being insulted by the offer |
C.they knew more about science than the officials |
D.they had better way of educating young men |
Different from the officials’ view of education, the Indians thought ____.
A.young women should also be educated |
B.they had different goals of education |
C.they taught different branches of science |
D.they should teach the sons of the officials first |