The Parthenon in Athens is a building with a long and complex history. Built nearly 2,500 years ago as a temple celebrating the Greek goddess Athena, it was for thousands of years the church of the Virgin Mary of the Athenians, then a mosque (清真寺), and finally a ruin. The building was changed and the sculptures much damaged over the centuries. By 1800 only about half of the original sculptural decoration remained.
Between 1801 and 1805, Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, which controlled Athens, acting with the full knowledge and permission of the Ottoman authorities, removed about half of the remaining sculptures from the fallen ruins and from the building itself. Lord Elgin loved Greek history and transported the sculptures back to Britain. The arrival of the sculptures in London had a huge effect on the European public, greatly increasing interest in ancient Greek culture and influencing contemporary artistic trends. These sculptures were acquired from Lord Elgin by the British Museum in 1816 and since then they have all been on display to the public, free of charge.
Since the early 1980s, however, the Greek government has argued for the permanent removal to Athens of all the Parthenon sculptures in the British Museum. They have also challenged the British Museum Board of Trustees' legal title to the sculptures.
The British Museum, however, insists that it exists to tell the story of cultural achievement throughout the world, from the dawn of human history over two million years ago until the present day. The museum considers itself an important resource for the world: the breadth and depth of its collection allows the world public to re-examine cultural identities and explore the complex network of interconnected world cultures.
It also says that, within the context of this unparalleled collection, the Parthenon sculptures are an important representation of ancient Athenian civilization. Each year millions of visitors admire the artistry of the sculptures and gain insights on how ancient Greece influenced - and was influenced by - the other civilizations that it encountered.
51. For most of its history people went to the Parthenon to ______.
A. admire the goddess Athena B. pray to their god
C. search for sculptures D. learn about its complex history
52. The underlined "it" (in Paragraph 4) refers to "_________".
A. the British Museum B. the Greek government
C. the Parthenon D. the British Museum Board of Trustees
53. What can we infer from the passage?
A. The sculptures introduced ancient Greek culture to the west.
B. Ancient Greek culture has greatly influenced world culture.
C. The British Museum has made much money from the Parthenon sculptures.
D. The British Museum is the place most capable of preserving these sculptures.
54. What can we learn about Lord Elgin from the passage?
A. He is greatly admired in Greece.
B. He worked for the Ottoman Empire.
C. He saved the Parthenon sculptures from being destroyed.
D. He had a deep interest in Greek culture.
55. The author's main intention in writing this passage is to tell _____.
A. the history of the Parthenon and its sculptures
B. what people can see in the British Museum
C. why the British Museum refuses to return the sculptures
D. the influence of Greece on British culture
Astronomers have captured(捕获) the first direct image of a planet being born.
Adam Kraus, of the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy, said the planet is being formed out of dust and gas circling a 2-million-yea-old star about 450 light years from Earth.
The planet itself, based on scientific models of how planets form, is believed to have started taking shape about 50,000 to 100,000 years ago.
Called LkCa 15b, it’s the youngest planet ever observed. The previous record holder was about five times older.
Kraus and his colleague, Michael Ireland from Macquarie University and the Australian Astronomical Observatory, used Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea(a volcano on the island of Hawaii, US) to find the planet. Kraus presented the discovery Wednesday at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.
Observing planets while they’re forming can help scientists answer questions like weather planets form early in the life of a star or later, and whether they form relatively close to stars or father away.
Planets can change orbits(轨道) after forming, so it’s difficult to answer such questions by studying older planets.
“These very basic questions of when and where are best answered when you can actually see the planet forming, as the process is happening right now,” Kraus said.
Scientists hadn’t been able to see such young planets before because the stars they’re circling around outshine(光亮强过) them. Kraus and Ireland used two techniques to overcome this problem.
One method, which is also used by other astronomers, was to change the shape of the telescope mirrors to remove light distortion(扭曲) created by the Earth’s atmosphere. The other method they used, which was unique, was to put masks with several holes over most of the telescope mirrors. The combination of these techniques allowed the astronomers to obtain high-quality images that let them see the planet next to the bright star.
The star LkCa 15—the planet is named after its star—was the team’s second target. They immediately knew they were seeing something new, so they plan to gather more data on the star.The research on younger planets helps scientists _____________.
| A．study why planets change orbits after forming |
| B．understand how planets move around their stars |
| C．answer questions about the age of stars and planets |
| D．know the relationship between planets and their stars |
Why are young planets like LkCa 15b hard to discover?
| A．Their stars are brighter than them.. | B．They are very far from the earth. |
| C．They are generally too small. | D．They rarely form. |
According to the text, Kraus and Ireland _____________.
| A．have been working in the same university |
| B．observed the planet on a volcano in Hawaii |
| C．used two new methods in the observation |
| D．cut holes in the mirrors when observing |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Youngest planet seen as it’s forming. |
| B．Planet 450 light years away discovered. |
| C．World’s first direct image of a planet taken. |
| D．New technique helps discover young planets. |
Putting in water fountains(饮水器) at schools, and teaching children about the health benefits of water, could reduce their risk of getting extra pounds, reports a new study that is published in the latest issue of the journal pediatrics.
The findings are based on a survey in 32 elementary schools of two German cities, Dortmund and Essen. The researchers, led by Rebecca Muckelbauer, a nutrionist at the Research Institute of Child Nutrition Dortmund, weighed about 3,000 children, and asked them about their beverage(饮料) consumption.
At the beginning of the school year, the experts had water fountains added to 17 of the schools. The scientists also worked with teachers to carry out educational programs that promote the benefits of drinking water. In contrast to schools in the United States, there are very few schools in Germany that have water fountains.
At the beginning of the study, there were no big differences in the number of overweight children in different groups. But by the end of the school year, children in the schools with water fountains were 31 percent less likely to gain extra pounds, compared to kids who went to other schools, where water drinking was not encouraged.
Children in the schools with fountains, increased their water consumption from about 3 up to 4 glasses a day, while those in the other schools continued to drink an average of 3 glasses. Over the research, the number of overweight kids upped from 384 to 385 out of 1,641 at the schools with water fountains. In comparison, the number of overweight kids at the other schools increased from 339 to 364 out of 1,309, Dr. Muckelbauer said.
The experts cannot make any final conclusions and explain why the students who were encouraged to drink water were less likely to gain extra weight. Dr. Muckelbauer noted that according to a few other studies, drinking of water increases the rate at which calories are burned, while some other research suggested that water may temporarily decrease appetite.According to the text, the journal Pediatrics__________.
| A．may cover the subject of the health of children |
| B．mainly deals with the water drinking problem |
| C．is mainly about the mental health of kids |
| D．must be a journal entitled(授权) by a school |
What do we know about the survey from the text?
| A．The teacher were also encouraged to drink water. |
| B．The students surveyed were all overweight. |
| C．It surveyed children in the countryside. |
| D．It lasted for a whole school year. |
The fifth paragraph is mainly about __________.
| A．the technique used in the survey | B．the benefits of the survey |
| C．the process of the survey | D．the result of the survey |
What can be learned from the last paragraph?
| A．Drinking water definitely decreases appetite. |
| B．Further research is needed to confirm the finding. |
| C．The experts will encourage all the students to drink water. |
| D．Why students drinking more get less pounds will be clear soon. |
Should students do the grading?
The Supreme Court says the practice doesn’t violate(侵犯) a student’s right to privacy, but is it right for students to grade one another?
Walter Potenza, California
The Supreme Court was absolutely correct to say it’s OK for students to grade one another’s homework, quizzes, and tests: in fact, it’s a great idea.
By grading one another’s papers and seeing the problems their classmates have, students double their exposure(暴露) to the troubles that they may meet on future exams and tests. Grading one another’s papers may be one of the best ways for students to reinforce within themselves the ways to master the most difficult parts of what they are learning.
Teachers are underappreciated and underpaid for the number of hours they have to work to be able to teach really well. Grading all their students’ papers can take hours. Some of that time and energy can be saved by spending a few minutes in class, while providing an extremely valuable learning experience.
I understand that some individuals are sensitive to their classmates seeing their work or grades. Any good teacher would be considerate of students who don’t want their classmates to grade their assignments.
Winston Smith, North Carolina
A girl moves back as her classmate announces her failing test grade and hands her the paper. The quiet classroom heats up.
With the increase in student grading over the past few years, scenes like this have become a bitter reality in schools across the nation. Teachers and schools should not advocate student grading and public announcement of grades because it provides a violation of privacy for students and causes unfair judgments and treatment by their classmates.
Since 1974, a law known as the Buckley Amendment has forbidden the release of education records in order to protect the privacy of students and their families. I strongly disagree with the Court’s ruling that this law does not include student grading.
I can think of no greater violation of privacy than the exposure of one’s personal information to a group of peers(同龄人). This can be very embarrassing. Releasing this sort of personal information should be avoided, especially by institutions that seek to provide a supportive environment during essential years of human development.The underlined word “reinforce” has the same meaning as “_________”.
| A．change | B．imagine | C．strengthen | D．create |
Walter Potenza suggests that ______________.
| A．teachers should set aside some time to grade students’ papers |
| B．the Supreme Court should do more research on students grading |
| C．teachers should guide students on how to grade homework |
| D．teachers should be careful not to hurt those sensitive students |
By mentioning the example of a girl, Winston Smith wants to ____________.
| A．show her weak points |
| B．criticize the student grader |
| C．tell us she is not a good student |
| D．present the negative effect of student grading |
What does Winston Smith seem to agree?
| A．Student grading is not related to families’ privacy. |
| B．The Supreme Court should change its decision. |
| C．The Buckley Amendment doesn’t apply to student grading. |
| D．Student grading is OK, but not public announcement of grades. |
Little did I know that I was about to see something I would never forget at the Kentucky Association of School Administrators.
They introduced the young musician---Mr Patrick Henry Hughes. He was rolled onto the stage in his wheelchair and began to play the piano. His fingers danced across the keys as he made beautiful music.
About ten minutes into Patrick’s performance, someone came on the stage and said, “I’d like to share a seven-minute video about Patrick Hughes.” Then the lights were turned down.
Patrick Henry Hughes was born with no eyes and a tightening of the joints(关节), which left him disabled for life. However, he was fitted with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he discovered the piano. His mom said, “I could hit any note on the piano, and within one or two tries, he’d get it.” By his second birthday, he was playing records people asked for. His father was ecstatic. “We might not play baseball, but we can play music together.”
Today, Patrick is a junior. His father attends classes with him and he’s made nearly all A’s. He’s also a part of a 214-member marching band(游乐乐队). He’s a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; he and his father do it together. In order to attend Patrick’s classes and every band practice, his father works the night shift(夜班) at United Parcel Service. Patrick says, “My dad’s my hero.”
On stage, between songs, Patrick talked to the audience about his life and about how blessed he was, “God made me blind and unable to walk. BIG DEAL! He gave me musical gifts and the great opportunity to meet new people.”
When his performance was over, the crowd rose to their feet and cheered for over five minutes.The underlined word “ecstatic” could be replaced by “_________”.
| A．relaxed | B．disappointed | C．anxious | D．delighted |
What do we know about Patrick’s father?
| A．He taught Patrick to play the piano. |
| B．He does part-time jobs in the daytime. |
| C．He accompanies Patrick in class and practice. |
| D．He expects Patrick to become a famous musician. |
We know from the text that Patrick Henry Hughes ______________.
| A．began to play the piano at age two |
| B．is in charge of a marching band |
| C．is now a high school student |
| D．admires his father greatly. |
The story of Patrick Henry Hughes mainly teaches us to _______________.
| A．develop an interest in music |
| B．be grateful for what we have |
| C．be ready to help people in trouble |
| D．work hard to achieve great success |
My mind went blank when I saw the gun pointing against the car window as we pulled out of the garage. This can’t be happening to me. Then I felt the gun, cold, against my head, and I heard my friend Jeremy saying, “What do you want? Take my wallet,” but at the time I thought of nothing.
I remember being a little annoyed when the gunman pulled me from the car by the hair. I remember the walk to the house --- Jeremy, me, the two men with two guns. I remember the fear and anger in the gunmen’s voices because Jeremy was being slow, and I remember wondering why he was being slow. I did not realize that Jeremy had thrown the keys into the bush. But I remember that sound of the gun hitting Jeremy’s head and the feeling as the man who had hold of my hair released me. And I remember the split second when I realized he was looking at Jeremy, and I remember wondering how far I could run before he pulled the trigger. But I was already running, and upon reaching the car across the street, I didn’t crouch(蹲伏) behind it but screamed instead.
I remember thinking there was something ridiculous and illogical about screaming “Help, help!” at eight o’clock on a Tuesday evening in December and changing my plea(恳求) to the more specific “Help, let me in, please let me in!” But the houses were cold, closed, unfriendly, and I ran on until I heard Jeremy’s screams behind me announcing that our attackers had fled.
The neighbors who had not opened their doors to us came out with baseball bats and helped Jeremy find his glasses and keys. In a group they were very brave. We waited for the police to come until someone said to someone else that the noodles were getting cold, and I said politely, “Please go and eat. We’re OK.”
I was happy to see them go. They had been talking of stricter sentences for criminals, of bringing back the death penalty(处罚) and how the President is going to clean up the country. I was thinking, they could be saying all of this over my dead body, and I still feel that stiffer sentences wouldn’t change a thing. In a rush all the anger I should have felt for my attackers was directed against these contented people standing in front of their warm, comfortable homes talking about all the guns they were going to buy. What good would guns have been to Jeremy and me?
People all over the neighborhood had called to report our screams, and the police turned out in force twenty minutes later. They were ill-tempered about what was, to them, much trouble about nothing. After all, Jeremy was hardly hurt, and we were hopeless when it came to describing the gunmen. “Typical,” said one policeman when we couldn’t even agree on how tall the men were. Both of us were able to describe the guns in horrifying detail, but the two policemen who stayed to make the report didn’t think that would be much help.
The policemen were matter-of-fact about the whole thing. The thin one said, “That was a stupid thing to do, throwing away the keys. When a man has a gun against your head you do what you’re told.” Jeremy looked properly embarrassed.
Then the fat policeman came up and the thin one went to look around the outside of the house. “That was the best thing you could have done, throwing away the keys,” he said. “If you had gone into the house with them…” His voice became weaker. “They would have hurt her” --- he twisted his head toward me --- “and killed you both.” Jeremy looked happier. “Look,” said the fat policeman kindly, “there’s no right or wrong in the situation. There’s just luck.”
All that sleepless night I replayed the moment those black gloves came up to the car window. How long did the whole thing last? Three minutes, five, eight? No matter how many hours of my life I may spend reliving it, I know there is no way to prepare for the next time --- no intelligent response to a gun. The fat cop was right. There’s only luck. The next time I might end up dead.
And I’m sure there will be a next time. It can happen anywhere, anytime, to anyone. Security is an illusion(幻觉); there is no safety in locks or in guns. Guns make some people feel safe and some people feel strong, but they’re fooling themselves.When the writer saw the gun pointing against the car window, ________.
| A．she felt very annoyed |
| B．she lost consciousness |
| C．she felt very much nervous |
| D．she lost the power of thinking |
What most possibly drove the two gunmen away?
| A．Jeremy’s fighting | B．The author’s screaming |
| C．Their neighbour’s brave action | D．The police’s arrival |
When the author called for help, the neighbors didn’t come out immediately because ________.
| A．they were much too frightened |
| B．they were busy preparing dinners |
| C．they needed time to find baseball bats |
| D．they thought someone was playing a trick |
The author was happy to see the neighbors go because ________.
| A．she hated to listen to their empty talk |
| B．she did not want to become an object of pity |
| C．she was angered by their being late to come to her help |
| D．she wanted to be left alone with Jeremy to get over the shock |
The police were rather angry because ________.
| A．the author was not hurt and gave a false alarm |
| B．they thought it was a case of little importance |
| C．the author and Jeremy could not tell the police anything |
| D．the gunmen had already fled when they arrived on the scene |
What the author wants to tell us is that ________.
| A．neighbors are not helpful in moments of difficulty |
| B．the police are not reliable when one is in trouble |
| C．security is impossible as long as people can have guns |
| D．preventing robbers entering your house is the best choice |