MostAmericansbelievethatsomeon-优题课

E
Most of us are used to seasons. Each year, spring follows winter, which follows autumn, which follows summer, which follows spring. And winter is colder than summer. But the earth goes through temperature cycles over much longer periods than those that we experience.
Between 65,000 and 35,000 years ago, the planet was much colder than it is now. During that time the temperature also changed a lot, with periods of warming and cooling. Ice melted during the warm periods, which made sea levels rise. Water froze again during the cold periods.
A new study from Switzerland sheds light on where ice sheets melted during the ice age.
It now seems that the ice melted at both ends of the earth, rather than just in either northern or southern areas. This surprised the researchers from the University of Bern.
Scientists have long assumed(认为) that most of the ice that melted was in the Northern hemisphere(半球) during the 30,000-year-long ice age. That belief was held because the North Pole is surrounded by land, while the South Pole is surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean. It is easier for ice sheets to grow on land. If surrounded by sea, the ice can easily just slip to the ocean instead of building up.
The researchers used a computer model to look at the ways the ice could melt and how it might affect sea levels. They compared these results to evidence(迹象) of how temperatures and currents actually changed during that time.
The model showed that if it was only in the Northern hemisphere that ice melted, there would be a bigger effect on ocean currents(洋流) and sea temperatures than what actually happened. Studies suggest that melting just in the Southern hemisphere would have been impossible, too.
The only reasonable conclusion, the scientists could make, was that the ice melted equally in the North and the South.
It is still a mystery(谜) as to what caused the temperature changes that caused the ice to melt.
72. We can learn from the text that _____.
A.we have experienced temperature cycles since they began
B.what caused ice to melt is still unknown
C. the planet was much colder than it is now between 65,000 and 35,000 years ago, during which time temperature hardly changed
D. before the new study, scientists long believed that ice melted just in either northern or southern areas
73. The underlined phrase "sheds light on" （in Paragraph 3） can be replaced by _____.
A. throws doubts on B. beats down on C. makes it clear D. makes light of
74. The first two paragraphs were written _____.
A. to lead up to the subject that ice melted during the 30,000-year-long ice age
B. to describe what the weather was like during the ice age
C. to compare climate nowadays with that of the ice age
D. to explain what a temperature cycle is
75. Which of the following best shows the relationship between ice, ocean currents and temperatures according to the text?
A. Ice can easily slip into the ocean.
B. Temperature and currents changed as a result of ice melting.
C. Temperature changes lead to ice melting or water freezing, which in turn has an effect on ocean currents and temperature.
D. Ice melted and then froze again due to temperature.

D
In the 1960s, people asked about your astrological sign(星相). In the 1990s, they wanted to know your website (网址). These days, having a web address is almost as important as a street address. Your website is an electronic meeting place for your family, friends and potentially, millions of people around the world. Best of all, you may not have to spend a cent. The Web is filled with all kinds of free services and all it takes is some time and creativity.
Think of your home page as the starting point of your website. Like the table of contents of a book or a magazine, the home page is the front door. Your site can have one or more pages, depending on how you design it.
While web pages vary greatly in their design and content, most use a traditional magazine layout (版面设计). At the top of the page is a banner(大标题) GRAPHIC. Next comes a greeting and a short description of the site. Pictures, texts, and links to other websites follow.
Before you start building your site, do some planning. Think about whom the site is for and what you want to say. Next, gather up the material that you want to put on the site. Draw a rough layout on a sheet of paper.
While there are no rules you have to follow, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Start simply If you are too ambitious (雄心勃勃的) at the beginning, you may never get the site off the ground. You can always add to your site.
Less is better Most people don't like to read a lot of text online. Break it into small pieces.
Smaller is better Most people connect to the Internet with a modem (调制解调器). Since it can take a long time to download large image files, keep the file sizes small.
Have the rights Don't put any material on your site unless you are sure you can do it legally (合法地). Learn the Net's Copyright Article for more about this.
Now it's time to roll up your sleeves and start building. Learning the Net Communities provides tools to help you build your site.
68. The main purpose of the passage is to tell you _____.
A. what a website is like
B. how to build your own website
C. how to meet people online
D. what a website is made up of
69. According to the writer, your website is a place _____.
A. where you can meet people all around the world
B. where you can buy what you want
C. where you can get free services
D. where you can meet people on the Internet
70. The purpose of the home page of your website is _____.
A. to give a list of all the contents of your website
B. to make it look like a front door
C. to direct people to more of your pages
D. to design the cover of a book or magazine
71. The writer thinks that if you are too ambitious at the beginning, _____.
A. your website may leave no space for adding new things
B. you may never have your wetside working
C. you may have no idea how to build your website
D. you may tire yourself out

C
No one can believe that the over 6,300-kilometer Great Wall might disappear some day. Believe it or not, the Great Wall is being destroyed by people. Less than 20 percent of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty, is still perfect, but about 80 percent is in danger. The Great Wall can be called "great" mostly because of its amazing length. But we should realize that the length was made up of one brick at a time. If we do nothing to save the Great Wall, it will become a series of separate wasteland rather than a historic site.
The Great Wall is actually a series of walls built and rebuilt by different dynasties over the past 2,000 years. It began in the rule of China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty(221 BC-206 BC), and lasted into the Ming Dynasty. The parts built before the Ming Dynasty have nearly disappeared. People are familiar with sections such as Badaling in Beijing and Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu, because they have been open to tourists for many years. But those sections far away from the public eyes have been almost forgotten.
Few local people knew the 3-metre-high walls made of earth and stones beside them are part of the Great Wall. The lack of knowledge is considered as one of the main reasons behind human.
The bricks on the Great Wall are carried off by countryside people to build their houses, sheep corrals and pigsties. Some were taken away to build roads. Bricks carved with people's names are put away as remembrances. Rubbish is spread over the battlements. The bricks can be sold for 15 yuan per tractor load. Those who destroyed and are destroying the Wall know its name, but are not clear about its cultural meaning. It will take a long time to let them know this. The local farmers not only carried off the body of the Wall but also dug out the entire base.
It is necessary to protect the Great Wall. First of all, the officials should be aware of the importance of the Great Wall. Young Chinese should know more about the nation's great civilization and learn to love it.
64. Why does the writer say the Great Wall might disappear?
A. It is useless from now on.
B. It will be replaced by a new one.
C. Some parts of it are being destroyed.
D. It is too old to be used again.
65. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A. The Great Wall was completed in the Ming Dynasty.
B. Not all the foreign tourists like the Great Wall.
C. The first part of the Great Wall was built in 221 BC.
D. The Qin Great Wall was protected well.
66. The underlined part "those sections far away from the public eyes" (in Paragraph 2) refers to the parts of the Great Wall _____.
A. that are too difficult to find
B. nobody can watch
C. that are too far to be seen
D. that are not well-known to the public
67. What's the main reason of the Great Wall's being destroyed?
A. The local people are short of culture knowledge.
B. The local people need bricks and stones to build houses.
C. The local people think that the Great Wall is not important.
D. The local people sell the bricks for a living.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　B
Tony Bennett, the American singer recently touring Britain, can't remember how many times he has sung his standard hit "I Left My Heart in San Francisco". He sang it again to his audience at the London Palladium last night.
"I never get tired of singing it," he said, "I like it very much. It's a great city and it's a good song."
Bennett is to record a TV special with the American singer Lena Horne while he is here. And a new LP recorded by him in London for Philips titled "Listen Easy" will be published in June.
"I like it here," he added quietly over whiskey. "I would like to live here so many months of the year."
He already keeps a large flat in Grosvenor Square, where he is staying with his actress wife Sandie Grant and their three-year-old daughter Joanna. It has a studio where he likes to paint. Tony plans to have his first exhibition later in the year and he has already sold one picture for $4,000. At the end of the year Tony is to star in a musical film which has been specially written for him called "Two Bits", an informal expression for 50 cents. It's about an Italian immigrant(移民) who goes to America, but he becomes a failure.
"In many ways it's very close to my life the way the story has been written," said Bennett. "My father, an Italian, was ill and died when I was nine. He always wanted me to sing, but he never lived long enough to be a part of my success."
The film is to be made by Italy's top director Vittoria De Sica.
60. The underlined phrase "standard hit" in the first paragraph most probably means "_____".
A. Bennett's favorite song that's not very popular
B. a song that is always popular
C. a song which is like a heavy blow to his audience
D. a song which makes him standard
61. According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?
A. "Two Bits" is a musical film.
B. Tony is to star in a film.
C. "Listen Easy" is a new record by Bennett.
D. "Listen Easy" has been published.
62. What does Tony Bennett want to do?
A. Buy a house and live in England.
B. Stay with his wife and daughter in England.
C. Live part of each year in England.
D. Leave America and settle in England.
63. What can we learn about Tony Bennett's father from this text?
A. He liked his son's singing.
B. He was born in Italy and died in America.
C. He was a part of Bennett's achievement.
D. He was glad that his son became famous.

A
A rock group called the Rocket Crew is on tour. Their agent (经纪人) has asked the town officials about Wilbour City on the tour. The stadium in the town is large enough to hold the expected crowd. Ticket sales in the area would be good because several towns are around Wilbour City. However, many people in the town don't want a rock concert because they fear the damage the crowd might cause. To settle the problem about whether or not to invite the group to appear, the mayor took a poll(民意测验). The results are:
Would buy tickets Would not buy tickets Undecided 6180 (41.2％) 5914 (39.4％) 2920 (19.4％) Fear the damage Not fear the damage Undecided 3043 (20.3％) 8746 (58.3％) 3225 (21.4％) Thought it would help the city Didn't think it would help the city Undecided 9412 (62.7％) 2085 (13.9％) 3517 (23.4％)
56. The mayor took the poll among _____ people.
A. 15,014 B. 6,180 C. 9,412 D. 8,746
57. From the results of the poll, we know that half of the people or more _____.
A. would buy the tickets for the concert
B. haven't yet given their own opinions
C. are against the invitation to the group
D. are for the invitation to the group
58. The concert is probably to be held in _____.
A. a cinema B. a stadium C. a theatre D. a concert hall
59. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. A Poll B. The City of Wilbour C. Rocket Crew D. A Rock Concert