C
Imagine a world 400 years ago where children were used as chimney sweeps.The pay was low, it was a dirty trade and there was little reward for the men who did the job and even less for children.
Medway’s annual Sweeps Festival recreates the joy and laughter enjoyed by the chimney sweeps at their traditional holiday: the one time of the year the sweeps could leave the soot(烟灰) behind and have some fun.The sweeps’ holiday was traditionally held on 1 May each year.Locally, they used to mark the occasion by staging a procession through the streets of Rochester.
Their fun continued with the Jack-in-the-Green ceremony, a seven-foot character that they used to waken at dawn on Blue Bell Hill, Chatham.The Jack-in-the-Green would walk with the chimney sweeps in their parade.When the Climbing Boys’ Act 1868 made it illegal to employ young boys to carry out the trade, the traditional procession gradually began to fade.The final May celebration was held in the early 1900s.
The modern day Rochester Sweeps Festival is a colorful mix of music, dancing and entertainment with more than 60 Morris sides and entertainers celebrating throughout the three-day festival.The festival was revived in 1981 by local businessman Gordon Newton, a keen historian.He decided it was time to bring it back and over the years he has helped develop the festival into what it is today — an excellent performance of traditional Britain.
Gordon researched the Sweeps’ tradition and organized a small parade, involving local Morris teams.In time, Medway Council took over organization of the festival but Gordon remained actively involved.Today he is festival producer and plays melodeon(簧风琴) for several Morris teams.Doug Hudson is the festival’s music director, a role he has held for many years.Through Gordon’s vision and hard work, Doug’s musical ability and the council’s help, the Rochester Sweeps Festival has become the largest May Day celebration of its kind in the country.
66.According to the writer, chimney sweeps ____________.
A.were highly respected B.were well rewarded
C.led a hard life in the past D.worked in good conditions
67.Medway’s Sweeps Festival ____________.
A.has been organized by the Jack-in-the-Green
B.dated back to the May celebration in the early 1900s
C.is held to honor those chimney sweeps every other year
D.has become a time for chimney sweeps to enjoy themselves
68.The underlined word “revive” in the 4th paragraph most probably means ___________.
A.realize B.review C.recreate D.recognize
69.It can be inferred from the passage that ____________.
A.the festival has never been supported by the local government
B.The festival is a good way to see British folk customs in action
C.youngsters has been forbidden to be chimney sweeps since 1981
D.the modern festival lasts five days celebrating the coming of spring
70.What is the passage mainly concerned about?
A.Sweeps Festival history B.Medway’s traditional holidays
C.Climbing Boys’ Act 1868 D.a procession in Rochester
Alomada Racraotion and Fork Deportment (ARFD)
(510)7477529
TEEN TRIP TO
THE LELAND HIGH SNOW PLAY
FOR Teens Currently in 6th to 12th Grades
LELAND HIGH SNOW PLAYClass #8389
Friday,December 9 (NonPublic School Holiday)
8∶00 a.m.to 7∶00 p.m.
Cost per person:$50 ($60 after January 22)—Includes:Lunch,Admission and Transportation
With a 4,000 sq.ft.day use lodge,the Leland High Snow Play has a huge supply of tubes to choose from,along with awesome tows(拖车) that will tow you up to the top of the hill!Our varied terrains(地形) have something for everyone,while the lodge provides a snack bar,video games,pool tables,five indoor restrooms,a warm fire,and a sun deck with plenty of tables and chairs over looking the play area outside.
Additional liability(责任) form required for the trip.
Be sure to bring warm clothing and prepare for the cold,but dress in layers in case it warms up.Wear dry boots,socks,and sunscreen.If possible,bring a mobile phone in case of emergency,as well as money for snacks and a light dinner;or bring your own food and drinks.Meet at The Underground (Veteran’s Building2203 Central Avenue)—don’t be late!
Do not bring electronic or fragile items during the trip.The ARFD is not responsible for your personal belongings or money.
Refunds are issued only if the ARFD cancels this trip due to weather conditions.
Click here to download the registration form and “Leland High Snow Play Liability Form”.
•Register in person,or mail the completed form to Leland High Snow Play,Inc.Send the liability form and payment to the ARFD Office,2226 Santa Clara Avenue,Alameda.
•Fax the registration and liability form accepted with VISA,(510)7477566.
•Online registrations available at www.arpdeplay.com. Make sure you bring your completed liability form on the trip.According to the text,the cost doesn’t include ________.
A.lunch | B.drinks |
C.admission | D.transportation |
The purpose of the text is to ________.
A.introduce a famous tour agency |
B.explain the details of a school activity |
C.urge teenagers to climb a snowy mountain |
D.advertise a trip to the Leland High Snow Play |
Teenagers who want to take part in the activity need to ________.
A.wear some warm clothes |
B.climb the hill themselves |
C.pay for tows individually |
D.wear hats to protect themselves from the sun |
From the text it can be inferred that ________.
A.the activity is very dangerous |
B.the weather there is changeable |
C.the trip will involve outdoor activities only |
D.12yearold children are not allowed to take the trip |
Nowadays,much of the profit of a business—sometimes the whole of its success—depends upon the use of the odds and ends.The odds and ends are various small things,which are left over when the main things are produced.But they possess a real value of their own.
If a business,big or small,looked down upon these odds and ends,it would mean a big difference in the amount of the benefit of the business.Take a meat factory for instance,there are countless odds and ends—bones and hair,which can be made into glue and rope to increase its profit greatly.
Then,if we are college students,what about our odds and ends—the odd moments?Take time for example.Every one of us has the exact same amount of it.Everyone’s success or failure depends on the use of their time.But everyone uses the time more or less in the same way.However,why many great men in science or art have made huge successes for themselves in the world?Because they have made best use of their odd moments.Thomas A.Edison,never allowed his odd moments to slip by.He thought,planned,and tried his inventions.He always worked twenty hours out of each twentyfour.His inventions made him famous all over the world,and provided valuable wealth for the human beings.
So,remember this axiom:busy people always find time for everything.However,people with great spare time find time for nothing.Is it very strange?Not at all!The question is how to gather up fragments of time and make full use of them.As many big businesses have found,the real profit is in using the odds and ends.We also must do in this way to make best use of our odd moments and manage to be successful in something we do.What are odds and ends?
A.They are nothing useful. |
B.They are very small,but valuable things. |
C.They are the main things factories produce. |
D.They are odd moments students refuse to gather up. |
Why should the odds and ends be made full use of?
A.Because they often determine success or failure. |
B.Because they can only be found by successful people. |
C.Because they are various small things people don’t want. |
D.Because they are useless things left over. |
The underlined word axiom in the last paragraph means________.
A.a statement given by famous people |
B.a statement accepted as true |
C.a statement that can be argued |
D.a statement accepted in scientific field |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.The profit of all companies depends on the odds and ends. |
B.In some way,big meat companies can ignore some small things,such as bones. |
C.College students only make full use of their spare time before exams. |
D.Many successful men are good at using the odds and ends. |
Women had a significant part to play during World War Ⅱ,which was the time when women also made their own contributions.Some women’s great efforts and their names have been recorded in history.Here’s a look at some of the strong figures of women in World War Ⅱ.
Tatiana Nikolaevna Baramzina was born in Glazov of Russia on December 12,1919.In 1943,she was sent to the Central Women’s Sniper Training School and upon her graduation in April,she was further sent to the front.She managed to kill around 16 enemies in the first three months!Unfortunately,she was captured(俘虏) by the enemies and was killed on the fifth of July in 1944.Today,the street where she grew up has been renamed in her memory.
Anne Frank was a Germanborn Jewish girl who was wellknown for the publication of her diary that described all her experiences when the Germans occupied Holland in World War Ⅱ.Anne was born on June 12,1929 and she,along with her family,went into hiding in July 1942.Two years later,her family was captured and seven months from her arrest,Anne Frank died of illness in early March 1945.
Margaret Ringenberg was born on 17 June,1921,in Indiana of America.She began her career during World War Ⅱ when she became a ferry pilot for the Women Airforce Service Pilots.After that she turned a flight instructor in 1945.She even wrote her own book named Girls Can’t Be Pilots.She passed away on 28 July,2008,after flying for 40,000 hours in the air.
Hannah Szenes was born on 17th July,1921 and was trained to parachute(用降落伞空投) by the British army into Yugoslavia during World War Ⅱ.This task was given in order to save the Jews of Hungary.Her secret mission was not revealed even when she was tortured(折磨) following her arrest at the Hungarian border.Hannah Szenes had to brave immense tortures,yet she did not lose heart.She bravely battled it out and tried to sing to keep her spirits high!She also kept a record of events in her diary till 7th November,1944,when she was finally killed.
These names are just a few of the women who played a significant part in World War Ⅱ.Their stories go a long way in showing the kind of lifestyles they led and their struggles and sacrifices.What is mainly discussed in the text?
A.Women were braver than men in World War Ⅱ. |
B.Women and men made equal contributions in World War Ⅱ. |
C.Women played a significant role in World War Ⅱ. |
D.Women’s death rate was high in World War Ⅱ. |
Which of the four women heroes died the youngest?
A.Tatiana Baramzina. |
B.Anne Frank. |
C.Margaret Ringenberg. |
D.Hannah Szenes. |
Who were killed by the enemy in the war?
A.Tatiana Baramzina and Anne Frank. |
B.Hannah Szenes and Tatiana Baramzina. |
C.Anne Frank and Margaret Ringenberg. |
D.Margaret Ringenberg and Hannah Szenes. |
It can be learned from the text that ________.
A.Tatiana Baramzina was once a flight instructor |
B.Margaret Ringenberg was the best at writing about the war experiences |
C.Anne Frank and her family were arrested by Germans in 1944 |
D.Hannah Szenes was arrested by Germans because of her diary |
In today’s throwaway society,dealing with the city’s growing mountain of waste is an increasing challenge for the city council (市议会).
Recently,Edinburgh is faced with the problem of disposing of (处理) about 250,000 million tons of waste a year.Despite different ways to dispose of much of it in a green manner—largely through encouraging recycling—its aging facilities such as the Powderhall landfill do not have the ability to deal with it.
The European Union (EU) has issued a new policy,regulating how such mountains of waste are to be disposed of.The five councils (Edinburgh,East Lothian,West Lothian,Midlothian and Borders) face fines around £18 million a year from 2013 if they don’t increase recycling levels and rely less on landfill.With this in mind,the councils got together with the idea of building a large incinerator plant (垃圾焚烧厂) to burn half of the waste produced in their districts.But this plan fell apart after the change of target levels by a new UK government waste policy which required that no more than 25% of the city’s waste should be disposed of in this way by 2025.
After the plan was abandoned,a private company which already transported millions of tons of the city’s waste by train to a landfill site near Dunbar,offered an
alternative solution when it suggested opening a huge waste site near Portobello.
Since Powderhall is supposed to close in 2015,it seemed necessary for the members of the Edinburgh Council to accept the suggestion.But soon they turned it down—after 700 local objections reached them—because it would have meant hundreds of lorries a day making loud noise through heavily populated areas.
That still leaves the council with a problem.By 2013,only 50% of 1995 levels of waste will be allowed to be sent to landfill.Even if recycling targets are met,there will still be a large amount of rubbish to be burnt up.Due to this,Edinburgh and Midlothian councils have now decided to work together to build an incinerator plant as time to find a solution is fast running out.(2011·湖北,C)The main way of handling waste in a green manner in Edinburgh is ________.
A.recycling | B.restoring |
C.burying | D.burning |
The five councils worked out a plan to build an incinerator plant to ________.
A.reduce the cost of burying waste |
B.meet the EU requirements |
C.speed up waste recycling |
D.replace landfill sites |
The city council of Edinburgh rejected the suggestion to open a huge landfill site near Portobello because ________.
A.it came from a private company |
B.the council was not interested in it |
C.it was not supported by EU |
D.the local people were against it |
What is the final decision of Edinburgh and Midlothian councils?
A.To open a new landfill nearby. |
B.To close the Powderhall landfill in 2015. |
C.To set up a plant for burning waste. |
D.To persuade people to reduce their waste. |
As a nation we are becoming more aware of the food we and our children are eating.The recent campaign to improve school dinners by celebrity(名人) chef Jamie Oliver has helped raise awareness of our fast food lifestyles.While we may be trying to eat more healthily,it seems we still have some bad habits.
•Healthy eaters or just trendy?
Are there certain things that you do and don’t eat and why?With so many food programmes and books telling you what you should and shouldn’t eat to be healthy,it’s hard to make choices.
Some people are vegetarians for moral reasons,some don’t like the taste of meat and there are one or two people who do it because it’s trendy.Likewise,it can be trendy to follow the latest celebrity’s diet because it’s what the famous are doing.
•Eating out
People are eating out more often now,not just on special occasions as in the past.The choice of restaurants has also diversified.Italian,Chinese and Indian restaurants have been around for years but have now been joined by Mongolian,Japanese,Mexican and so on.Bars and pubs are still popular for food and often promote English cuisine made with local produce.
“We enjoy eating out a couple of times every month whether with friends or just as a couple.We like trying new things so we go to different restaurants.” said Craig,25,County Durham.
•Eating on the go
From chocolate bars to sandwiches more people are eating on the go—on the street,in cars or on buses and trains.While our parents and grandparents may frown at this behaviour,considering it to be bad manners,people eat on the go because they are rushing from one place to another.And in the home the number of people sitting down at a dining table for their evening meal is on the decrease as meal times become more informal.
“If I’m running late for work I don’t think twice about eating toast in the car or on the bus but I know my mum wouldn’t approve,” said Stacey,24.What can we infer from the text?
A.Our parents think highly of the eating habits mentioned in the text. |
B.We should get rid of the bad habits and try to be healthier. |
C.Japanese restaurants have been around for years. |
D.It’s good for people to eat out more frequently. |
People find it difficult to decide what to eat to keep healthy because ________.
A.different programmes and books have different ideas about healthy eating |
B.there are many celebrities having different diet styles |
C.what the famous are doing is different from ours |
D.they have some bad eating habits |
The underlined word “diversified” in Paragraph 4 probably means “________”.
A.made a great change |
B.made a big difference |
C.had a rapid increase |
D.had a wide variety |
Craig often goes to different restaurants because ________.
A.he likes trying new things |
B.he follows the latest celebrity diet |
C.he enjoys the meal with his friends |
D.he has more special occasions to celebrate |