Today, roller skating is easy and fun.But a long time ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, the idea of skating didn’t exist. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin’s work was making musical instruments. In his spare time he liked to play the violin. Joseph Merlin was a man of ideas and dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to attend a fancy dress ball(化装舞会). He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think how to make a grand entrance at the party. He had an idea. He thought he would get a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll. Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skates. Merlin was very proud of his invention and dreamed of arriving at the party on wheels while playing the violin.
On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room playing his violin. Everyone was astonished to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skates. He rolled on and on. Suddenly, he ran into a huge mirror that was hanging on the wall. Down fell the mirror, breaking to pieces. Nobody forgot Merlin’s grand entrance for a long time!
1.The text is mainly about ________.
A.a strange man B.an unusual party
C.how roller skating began D.how people enjoyed themselves in the 18th century
2.People thought Merlin was a dreamer because he _________.
A.often gave others surprises B.was a gifted musician
C.invented the roller skates D.was full of imagination
3.Merlin put wheels under his shoes in order to ________ .
A.impress the party guests B.arrive at the party sooner
C.test his invention D.show his skill in walking on wheels
4.What is the main point the writer is trying to make in the last paragraph?
A.The roller skates needed further improvement.
B.The party guests took Merlin for a fool.
C.Merlin succeeded beyond expectation.
D.Merlin got himself into trouble.
The old camera Brownie picked up in a charity shop was a splendid find .But the undeveloped film still inside turned out to be even more of a treasure.
New owner Don Roccoforte had it developed and saw in it an attractive dark haired woman in her thirties with two young boys. He immediately determined to try to find out who they were.
A few weeks later the California-based camera collector received the news that left him stunned. The woman was his wife Jaqueline’s aunt in a picture taken around 50 years ago, and one of the boys, her cousin.
The couple have now unraveled(揭开)the astonishing coincidence ,which leads back to Mrs. Roccoforte’s native Lancashire, where many of her family still live. The camera was bought from a shop in Preston by Brownie, a friend of Mr. Roccoforte, who knew of his interest in photography and thought it would be an unusual gift.
Back in California, the contents of his new possession inspired Mr. Roccoforte’s curiosity. Recognizing the water in the background of the photo as a lake in Lancashire; he sent a copy to the local paper in Preston to see if any readers could help.
Another relative recognized the group as Winnie Bamber, still living in the area at the age of 81, her son Tony, Mrs. Roccoforte’s cousin, and Tony’s childhood friend, Mick Murphy.
Yesterday Mrs. Bamber was still gasping(惊讶地吸气)at the turn of events which has reunited two strands(分支)of her family.
She said she remembered taking the boys to the lake and losing the camera. The two boys, both now 58, still live near Preston.
Mrs. Roccoforte’s father is Winnie Bamber’s brother, Billy Charnley.
He and his wife moved to America in the 1960s. Their daughter met Mr. Roccoforte there and they married and moved to Preston for two years before returning to America.
1 Which of the following is the right order of what happened?
a. Don Roccoforte received a special present from his friend.
b. Another relative recognized Winnie Bamber and the two boys.
c. Winnie Bamber ,together with two boys ,went to take pictures at a lake.
d. Don Roccoforte sent a copy of the picture to a paper in Preston.
e. The film was developed.
f. The camera was lost.
g. Brownie bought an old camera in a shop.
A. c→f→b→a→d→g→e B. b→c→a→f→d→e→g
C. c→f→g→a→e→d→b D. a→c→b→f→e→g→d
2. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Tony is the son of Winnie Bamber.
B. Billy Charnley’s daughter was married to Don Roccoforte.
C. Brownie married Winnie Bamber.
D. Mrs. Roccoforte is Winnie Bamber’s niece.
3. The underlined word “stunned” is closest in meaning to ________.
A. disappointed B. shocked C. worried D. satisfied
4. The best title for this passage would be ________.
A. The Film that Waited 50 Years to Be Developed
B. An Unusual Reunion after about Half a Century
C. A Special Present to a Special Friend
D. An Old Camera and the Beautiful Pictures Inside
第三部分阅读理解 (共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)
请认真阅读下列短文,从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A “blogger” is a person who writes on an Internet website called a “blog”. The word “blog” is a short way of saying “web log”, or “personal website”. Anyone can start a blog, and they can write about anything they like.
There are millions of blogs on the Internet today. They provide news, information and ideas to the people who read them. They contain links to other websites. And they provide a place for people to write their ideas and react to the ideas of others.
A research company called Perseus has studied more than 3,000 web logs. It says that blogs are most popular with teenage girls. They use them to let their friends know what is happening in their lives. The study also says that more than 100,000 bloggers stopped taking part in the activity after a year.
However, some people develop serious blogs to present political and other ideas. For example, the Republican and Democratic parties in the southern state of Kentucky recently started their own blogs. And American companies are beginning to use blogs to advertise their products.
At the same time, some long-standing blogs have ended. Last week, blogging leader Dave Winer closed his free blog service “weblogs.com”. He said the site became too costly to continue. He started the blog four years ago, and thousands of people had written on it. They are now upset because they did not know that the site was closed.
One blog that is still going strong is called Rebecca’s Pocket. Rebecca Blood created the website in 1999. She wrote about the history of blogs on the site. That article led to a book called The Weblog Handbook. It has been translated into four languages so far.
Miss Blood says Rebecca’s Pocket gets about thirty thousand visitors a month. She writes about anything and everything—politics, culture and movies. She recently provided medical advice. And she wrote about how to prevent being stolen from online bank accounts.
1. The text is mainly written to ________.
A. introduce an Internet website called “blog” B. tell readers about blogs
C. introduce a short way of saying “web log” D. tell readers how to write blogs
2. From the text we can learn that blogs cover almost everything except ________.
A. different ideas B. medical advice
C. advertisements D. account passwords
3. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text?
A. Politicians don’t use blogs at all.
B. A lot of bloggers no longer write or read blogs.
C. Those who like to use blogs are mostly teenage girls.
D. Dave Winer closed his “weblogs.com” because of the money shortage.
4. The reason why Rebecca’s Pocket is still going strong is that ________.
A. it was created by a woman B. it is about the history of blogs
C. it provides useful information and advice
D. it has editions in at least four different languages
New York Helmsley Hotel
New York City, NY
KAYAK members are specially offered the New York Helmsmen Hotel, a world – class hotel located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, within walking distance of Times Square, Grand Central Station and the United Nations, as well as the Theatre District and Rockefeller Center.
Gaylord Palms
Orlando, FL
Gaylord Palms Hotel and Convention Center offers excitement to KAYAK members with world – class restaurants, dynamic on – site recreation, and breathtakingly beautiful gardens under glass. The Gaylord offers great room and food service close to the world’s most trilling places – Disney, Sea World, and Universal.
Affinia Chicago
Chicago, IL
Steps from the Magnificent Mile, the Affinia Chicago is best known for its perfect location at the Windy City’s center of shopping, entertainment, culture and business. Known for its fast pace, famous museums, amazing buildings, and action – packed sporting events, Chicago offers something for every KAYAK member.
The Liaison Capitol Hill, An Af finia Hotel
Washington DC
KAYAK members seeking the typical DC experience are offered the Liaison Capitol Hill. Having a great location on Capitol Hill, The Liaison Capitol Hill is the closest hotel to the U. S. Captiol. The Smithsonian, Union Station and dozens of the country’s most visited museums and monuments are within walking distance.
1.What do these hotels have in common?
A.They are all near shopping center.
B.They are all favorably located.
C.They all have world – class restaurants.
D.They all attract people with their low prices.
2.Which might be the best place for parents with kids to spend their holiday?
A.Orlando, FL B.Chicago, IL
C.Washington DC D.New York City, NY
3.If you are interested in museums, which may be your best hotels to stay in?
A.New York Helmsely Hotel and Affinia Chicago.
B.The Liaison Capitol Hill and Gaylord Palms.
C.The Liaison Capitol Hill and Affinia Chicago
D.Gaylord Palms and New York Helmsley Hotel.
Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived at the White House after serving as First Lady of Arkansas for twelve year. On many occasions, Hillary Clinton has spoken about the need to find the right balance in our lives. For her, the elements of that balance are family, work, and public service.
Hillary Diane Rodham was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 26, 1947. An excellent student. Hillary also enjoyed sports and was always interested in politics. Graduating from Wellesley College with high honors, she entered Yale Law School, where she developed her special concern for protecting the best interests of children and their families. It was there that she met Bill Clinton, a fellow student.
In 1973, Hillary became a lawyer for the Children’s Defense Fund. In 1975 Hillary left Washington and followed her heart to Arkansas, marrying Bill Clinton. The couple taught together in the University of Arkansas. Their daughter. Chelsea, was born in 1980. As First Lady of Arkansas, Hillary continued to work tirelessly for the benefit of children and families. She introduced a program training parents to work with their preschool children. Because of her efforts, Hillary was named Arkansas Mother of the Year in 1984. Hillary Rodham Clinton brings her own special talents, experience, style and interests to the role of First Lady of the US. She played a leading part in national Health Care Reform.
Hilary Clinton was elected to the US Senate (参议院) in 2000, becoming the first Lady elected to public office and the first female senator to represent New York. In 2006, Senator Clinton won re-election to the Senate, and in 2007 she began her historic campaign for President. In 2008, she campaigned for the election of Barrack Obama and Joe Biden, and in November, she was chosen by President elect Obama as Secretary of State.
1.What do we know from the first paragraph?
A.Hillary Rodham Clinton never finds it hard to balance herself in life.
B.Family, work and public service are all important to Hillary Clinton.
C.The experience as First Lady of Arkansas led her to the White House.
D.Before entering the White House, Hillary had worked for the First Lady.
2.Why did Hillary leave the Children’s Defense Fund?
A.Because she wanted to marry Bill Clinton who was in Arkansas.
B.Because she married Bill Clinton and had to move to Arkansas.
C.Because she found she fell in love with Arkansas.
D.Because she was offered a better job in the University of Arkansas.
3.Where did Bill Clinton get his high education?
A.At Wellesley College.
B.At the Children’s Defense Fund.
C.At the University of Arkansas.
D.At Yale Law School.
4.Which is the right order of the following events?
a. Hillary was elected to the United States Senate.
b. Hillary was chosen as Secretary of State.
c. Hillary served as the First Lady.
d. Hillary supported Obama in his presidential election.
e. Hillary began her campaign for President.
A.c, a, e, d, b B.c, e, d, b, a C.a, e, c, b, d D.b, e, c, d, a
Americans are thinking about national education standards recently developed by teachers and other education experts. The National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) led the effort.
The United States, unlike other nations, has never had the same school standards across the country. What is the reason? Education is not discussed in the Constitution. That document limits the responsibilities of the federal government. Other responsibilities, like education, fall to the individual states.
Local control of education probably was a good idea two hundred years ago. People stayed in the same place and schools knew what students needed to learn. But today, people move to different cities. And some people work at jobs that did not exist even twenty years ago.
Many American educators say that getting a good education should not depend on where you live. They say that some states have lowered their standards in order to increase student scores on tests required by the No Child Left Behind Act.
Kara Schlosser is communications director for the Council of Chief State School Officers. She says the new standards clearly state what a student should be able to do to be successful in college and work.
Forty-eight states have already shown approval for the standards. Two states reject the idea. Critics(批评家) say that working toward the same standards in every state will not guarantee(保证) excellence for all. Some educators in Massachusetts say adopting the proposal will hurt their students because the state standards are even higher. Others say the change will be too costly, requiring new textbooks and different kinds of training for teachers. Still others fear federal interference or control.
Supporters say the standards are goals and do not tell states or teachers how to teach. They also say the federal government is not forcing acceptance. However, approving the standards will help states qualify(合格) for some federal grant money.
1.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Local Control of Education Standards out of Date
B.American National Education Standards under Consideration
C.Education Standards in Each State – Good or Bad
D.Acceptance of the New Standards in the United States
2.Why is local control of education no longer a good idea today?
A.Because local standards are limited.
B.Because it is required by the federal government.
C.Because people today moves among states more often than before.
D.Because America has never has the same school standards thought the country.
3.Some people are against the national education standards because_______.
A.the standards are higher than those of each state
B.the are nor yet prepared for the new standards
C.the standards may prevent some students gaining excellence
D.they don’t want the federal government to train their teachers
4.If a state agrees to accept the motional standards, it will probably get_______.
A.more students B.advice on how to improve teaching
C.better textbooks D.money from the federal government